The Power Of Us

The 2024 Canon Collins Trust’s Annual Scholars’ Conference brought together over 140 delegates, including scholars and alumni from across Southern Africa, for an enriching exchange of ideas and shared purpose. Celebrating a decade of academic excellence and solidarity, this year’s conference, themed “The Power of Us,” underscored the collective strength and unity that defines our community.

The conference was honoured by the presence of notable guest speakers, including Noncedo Madubedube, General Secretary of Equal Education, and S’bu Zikode, the founding President of Abahlali baseMjondolo. Their discussions on grassroots movement building and social justice resonated deeply with the Trust’s ongoing commitment to these essential pillars.

The opening Keynote Speaker this year was Noncedo Madubedube. Noncedo is a queer, black womxn of Marxist-Feminist traditions. She is a pedagogist and social justice activist. She is the current General Secretary of Equal Education, a youth-led social movement focusing on the right to education in South Africa. She is the first womxn to hold this position since the formation of Equal Education in 2008. She has a Bachelor of Education, majoring in Mathematics and Languages. She currently serves on the board of the Health Justice Initiative and the 2030 Reading panel. She has served on organising secretariats for various national coalitions such as the Defend our Democracy, #UniteBehind, the C19 People’s Coalition, DoD-WC Chapter. As a long-time student activist and feminist organiser, she is invested in participating in spaces that build, connect and unite.

Noncedo’s keynote address delved into the heart of the social justice agenda and the crucial role of activism in driving change. She highlighted the transformative power of collaboration, urging the scholars to harness the collective strength of their practices, academic work, research, and passions. Noncedo emphasised that when we unite these elements, we can push beyond conventional boundaries and turn our boldest ideas into reality, shaping a future where social justice is not just an ideal but a lived experience for all.

Our closing Keynote was delivered by S’bu Zikode, the founding President of Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA, the largest social movement for the impoverished in post-apartheid South Africa, with over 120,000 members. Before becoming its president, he was the Kennedy Road Development Committee chairperson. A passionate advocate for housing as a human right, S’bu’s leadership saw the movement achieve a landmark victory against the “Slums Act” in the Constitutional Court, a triumph celebrated by many impoverished South Africans. He has also campaigned in the United States, promoting the theme “Housing is a Human Right.” S’bu believes that urban progress hinges on prioritising the social value of land over its commercial value. He advocates for practical steps like ensuring new housing developments are in prime locations, providing services to shack settlements, and co-designing projects with residents to avoid forced relocations. In recognition of his efforts, S’bu was awarded the Per Anger Prize in 2021 by the Swedish government for his initiatives in democracy and human rights.

In his closing address, S’bu reflected on the enduring struggles of the urban poor in South Africa and the importance of solidarity, dignity, and humility in the fight for justice. Drawing from his own journey—from a rural upbringing to leading the Abahlali baseMjondolo movement—Zikode called on scholars to use their education and opportunities to support the oppressed and work toward a world where everyone’s humanity and dignity are respected.